Professor Stephen Hawking has attacked the Conservatives over their handling of the NHS and accused Jeremy Hunt of 'abusing' science to justify policies.

Twitter users mocked the Health Secretary for trying to 'school' Prof Hawking, after Mr Hunt tweeted the world renowned scientists was 'wrong'.

Prof Hawking, a lifelong Labour supporter, said Tory policies such as the public sector pay cap, imposing a new contract on junior doctors, and removing the student nurse bursary has put the NHS in crisis.

He said the health service was being pulled in different directions by multinational corporations driven by profiting from NHS privatisation and the public, which favours a publicly funded health service.

Prof Stephen Hawking (left) said Tory policies such as the public sector pay cap, imposing a new contract on junior doctors, and removing the student nurse bursary has put the NHS in crisis. Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt (right) would later respond on Twitter

Writing in The Guardian, Prof Hawking said: 'Failures in the system of privatised social care for disabled and elderly people have placed an additional burden on the NHS'

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The 75-year-old, who was diagnosed with motor neurone disease in 1962, said he 'would not be here today if it were not for the service' and stressed 'we cannot lose' the NHS.

Writing in The Guardian, he went on: 'The NHS is in a crisis, and one that has been created by political decisions.

'These political decisions include underfunding and cuts, privatising services, the public sector pay cap, the new contract imposed on junior doctors, and removal of the student nurses' bursary.

'Political decisions such as these cause reductions in care quality, longer waiting lists, anxiety for patients and staff, and dangerous staff shortages.

Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt took to Twitter to respond to Prof Hawking's attack on the Tory Party.

Mr Hunt has cited studies showing higher death rates at weekends when setting out his argument for a seven-day health service

'Failures in the system of privatised social care for disabled and elderly people have placed an additional burden on the NHS.'

Prof Hawking, who is director of research at the Centre for Theoretical Cosmology at the University of Cambridge, renewed criticism of Mr Hunt for 'cherry-picking' scientific research into the so-called 'weekend effect'.

The Health Secretary used his drive to create a seven-day NHS as one of the main reasons for reforming junior doctors' contracts - which led to the biggest walkout of doctors in NHS history.

Mr Hunt has cited studies showing higher death rates at weekends when setting out his argument for a seven-day health service.

Mr Hunt hit out at Mr Hawking's comments a second time and denied that the Government was trying to implement a US-style health insurance system

But Prof Hawking accused him of suppressing contradictory research to suit his argument.

He wrote: 'Hunt had cherry-picked research to justify his argument. For a scientist, cherry-picking evidence is unacceptable.

'When public figures abuse scientific argument, citing some studies but suppressing others to justify policies they want to implement for other reasons, it debases scientific culture.

'One consequence of this sort of behaviour is that it leads ordinary people to not trust science at a time when scientific research and progress are more important than ever.'

Mr Hunt responded to Prof Hawking's criticism on Twitter.

He wrote: 'Stephen Hawking is brilliant physicist but wrong on lack of evidence 4 weekend effect. 2015 Fremantle study most comprehensive ever ... And whatever entrenched opposition, no responsible health sec could ignore it if you want NHS 2 be safest health service in world as I do.'

Prof Hawking wrote: 'When public figures abuse scientific argument, citing some studies but suppressing others to justify policies they want to implement for other reasons, it debases scientific culture'. Mr Hunt is pictured at the NHS Confederation Conference at Liverpool Area and Convention Centre in June

Mr Hunt later added: 'The most pernicious falsehood from Stephen Hawking is idea govt wants US-style insurance system. Is it 2 much to ask him to look at evidence?' the Health Secretary said.

'NHS under Cons has seen more money, more docs and more nurses than ever in history.Those with private med insurance DOWN 9.4% since 2009!'

Mr Corbyn told broadcasters in north Wales: 'If Stephen Hawking is saying that our NHS is under threat and in danger and in crisis then I think we need to listen very, very carefully with what he has to say.

'I admire Stephen and I agree absolutely with what he said.'

Mr Farron said: 'A renowned scientist such as Stephen Hawking questioning your evidence might normally be cause to think again, but sadly it looks as though Jeremy Hunt has joined the chorus of those who have had enough of experts.'